Hey guys! So I know it's been a while, but hey better late than never. So this is something I've been working on for a little bit. It's the sequel to "Once and For All." To those of you new to the story I suggest you read my first story before this one.

As of now it is rated T, for language and suggestive themes but may go up if I get enough requests to do a mature chapter. I'll have a poll when that time comes around.

Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies or its characters.

Summary: "When love is not madness, it is not love." Love has invaded Mattie and Jack's hearts and changed both their lives. The young lovers want forever, but reality has other ideas. With the rise of a merciless street gang and a man from Mattie's past their fight must continue. Jack/OC David/OC

Chapter 1

Laughter erupted from the streets of Manhattan. A loud, musical, laughter that could only be identified as a females. Along with the laughter came footsteps. Soft footfalls that were quick and light. The laughing girl was running, but not out of fear. She was running for fun. Her chestnut brown hair was down, falling in waves. It flew behind her as she quickened her speed. In her chocolate eyes, the tiniest hint of a sparkle shown through. A sparkle of adventure. A large smile was plastered on her face, showing everyone she passed that she couldn't be happier.

Behind her came bigger and much louder steps. These footsteps were owned by a male. He chased the girl vigorously, not giving up for a second. It wasn't in his nature to give up so quickly. He was determined to catch her. He smirked as he came closer to her. She may have been fast, but he had longer legs than her which aided him in his heist.

"You can't catch me Jack." The girl yelled to him, barely even turning. "You might as well just give-"

However, her sentence was cut off when she was tackled to the ground. The impact to the ground wasn't as hard as she had intended. The boy, Jack, pinned the girl to the ground. Her body was squirming under his and her hands were trapped above her head by his larger ones. She was shocked at how close he was to her. She hadn't expected to be caught by him.

Jack smirked down at the girl. He enjoyed the face of shock that she wore. He hadn't seen her shocked very often, so he relished in the times that he did surprise her. As he looked her over his cocky smirk turned into an adoring smile.

Her brown locks were splayed everywhere in a big mess of hair. Her hands fought with his to be free, but he was much stronger than her. She struggled under his weight, but of course she wasn't getting anywhere. Her shock melted away and what took its place was pure annoyance. Her nose wrinkled up as she continued to fight with him. Her eyes sparked danger, something he loved when it came to the careful girl under him. Her mouth was in an angry frown, one that he just wanted to kiss away.

"Jack Kelly. You get 'offa me right now!" She demanded. Jack laughed out loud throwing his head back as he did. "I'm serious!"

"Or what Dimples?" He asked, using the nickname she had received years ago. She sent him a glare, racking her brain for something to threaten him with.

"I'm gonna' shave your head while you're sleeping." She said triumphantly. Jack rolled his eyes as he looked down at the girl. The two locked eyes, something they did quite often. It was actually a funny sight. Once these two locked eyes it was hard to get them apart. They would be content with just looking at each other all day.

"Please Jack." She pleaded. Jack smirked, loving the fact that she was begging him and she was at his mercy. She was usually so independent and tough she usually didn't need him. However, she kept him around, why he never really understood.

"You'll have to give me something first." Jack replied. The girl's eyebrows came together. Whenever Jack came up with something it was usually dangerous or stupid. She never knew what that boy was going to make her do. That was part of the fun.

"Like what?" She asked innocently. Jack wriggled his eyebrows, something that he knew drove her crazy. She swallowed looking over his face.

"Jack Kelly!" She shouted angrily. Jack laughed at her little outburst. She didn't laugh along, she only glared.

"Aw I'm only kidding." He said chuckling. "But there is something I've gotta' have."

"Oh yeah? What's that?" She asked. Jack's tongue ran across his lips, a sign she knew all too well. She found herself smiling. Jack took that as an invitation and gently touched his lips to hers.

The kiss was slow and innocent. It was a good kiss, one she would remember always. It made her dizzy as he pulled away. He looked down at her, his eyes clouded over. She found herself craving him, wanting him to kiss her again. He released his hold on her hands and rolled off of her. He laid on his back, looking up at the sky. She stared at him taking in every inch.

His brown hair was long falling past his eyes. She would have to cut it soon. His face was flawless, no blemishes marked his tan skin. His nose was perfectly shaped for his face. His eyes were clued to the sky as if it held all the worlds' secrets. His clothes were dusty and stained with dirt. A red bandanna was tied around his neck.

He must have noticed she was staring because his muddy eyes flashed to her. He smiled at her, showing off his straight white teeth. She found herself smiling too, getting butterflies as he watched her. She could never get over the feeling she got when she was around him. She always felt warm, safe. She felt loved.

"What?" Jack asked amused. She waited a couple seconds before chuckling to herself.

"You're kinda' beautiful Mr. Kelly." She told him. Jack felt a blush go to his face. She was one of the only people to ever make Jack Kelly turn red. Mattie smirked taking her hands to his face and feeling the warmness in his cheeks. She then boldly kissed him.

This kiss wasn't like the last one. The first kiss was sweet, this kiss was full of passion. Their movements were much more aggressive. It was as if they needed to get closer. They needed to feel one another. Jack took his arms and wound them around her pulling her flush against him. She locked her fingers in his hair, wanting to be closer.

"Mattie." Jack moaned into her mouth. It set a fire in Mattie's stomach. She no longer cared that they were outside where all of Manhattan could see them. She threw caution to the wind and just let her instincts take over.

"Mattie." Jack said again. But that didn't stop her. She continued her assault on him moving from his lips to his face and neck.

"Mattie. Wake up." Jack repeated, pushing her back. But it wasn't Jack's voice. It was the elderly voice of Kloppman the keeper of the Newsboy House. Mattie squinted staring at Jack as he looked at her expectantly.

"Wake up!"

Mattie's eyes shot open to the banging and yelling coming from the other side of her door. She sat up, a warm sweat had made its way on her forehead. She threw the covers off of her because she was much too hot to keep them on. She had never had a dream like that before. Sure she dreamt about Jack before, but not like that. Not where all her senses were blocked just by his presence.

She sat up wiping the sweat from her forehead and taking a deep breath. She wouldn't tell Jack about this dream, because if she did she would never live it down. She rubbed her temples at the loud knocking on her door and the irritated voice of Kloppman.

"Matilda Conrad if you don't get up right now-" Kloppman yelled.

"I'm up. I'm up." Mattie mumbled loud enough for him to hear it. Mattie heard the dramatic sigh and the light footsteps walking away. Mattie herself sighed standing and walking to her busted up dresser. She pulled out a dark blue button up shirt and dark grey pants. She pulled the clothes on, glad to be out of her sweaty night gown. With a piece of yarn she pulled her hair back to get it out of her face. She didn't want to deal with the mop on her head today.

Once she was decent she walked out of her bedroom and into the washroom. She splashed cold water on her face, in hopes to calm herself down. She didn't know what she would do when she saw Jack this morning. She shook her head. She always worried too much. Once she saw him everything would be fine. It always was.

She looked herself over in the mirror and smiled. It was going to be a good day. She just knew it.

She heard a small knock and turned. Kloppman stood there a small smile on his wrinkled face. Mattie smiled at the old man and turned completely.

"Ready to get those boys up?" Kloppman asked. Mattie nodded wordlessly. It has become tradition that she helps him wake the boys up. She actually enjoyed it now. She used to dread the boys waking up, but after the strike they had all grown closer. They were a big family, and she loved them all. Not that she didn't three months ago, but when all of the newsies of New York stopped selling she found that she cared more than she originally thought.

She followed Kloppman into the bunk room. Rows of sleeping boys laid there. She rolled her eyes at the boys she called her brothers. They were a really big mess. She found herself still taking care of most of them. She didn't mind as much as she used to. She found a new found appreciation for being needed. And did they need her oh yeah.

"Alright you bums! Get up! Time to carry the banner!" Kloppman shouted kicking a nearby bunk. Specs shot up hitting his head on the bed above him. He grunted falling back onto his pillow. Kloppman just rolled his eyes as he continued down the rows. Mattie went down her row rousing the boys.

"Do I gotta'?" Kid Blink asked to no one in particular.

"Do you wanna' eat?" Mattie asked him. Blink sighed rolling onto his stomach. Mattie's eyes rolled before she landed on the empty bunk where Jack should have been. Her eyes narrowed as she looked around the room. In fact, she didn't see Jack at all. That wasn't like him. He was usually one of the last ones to wake up.

Suddenly she heard someone clearing their throat. She turned to see Racetrack pulling on his suspenders. He nodded to the open window leading to the fire escape. Mattie gave him a grateful smile and headed to the window. When she stepped onto the fire escape she found that it was empty. She huffed putting her hands on her hips.

Where is that boy?

Then out of nowhere, Mattie was lifted by her waist high into the air. She squealed kicking her legs. She wasn't in the air long before her feet found solid ground again. She swiftly turned and smacked her laughing assailant hard on the arm.

"Damn Mattie. Can't take a joke?" Jack asked his signature smile still on his face. He rubbed his injured arm as he stared at the girl that was a head shorter than him. Mattie smacked him again in the same spot as she glared at him.

"You scared the life outta' me!" Mattie scolded. Jack continued to laugh as Mattie stood there fuming. Secretly she loved Jack's little antics. She always had. But she would be damned before she admitted it.

"Aw c'mon Dimples." Jack said as he wound his arms around her waist. He pulled her closer to him and she found her annoyance with him melt away. Just his touch could undo her. "I'm just playing with ya'."

"I know." She replied. He smiled down at her and made the first move. He leaned down as he tried to plant a kiss on her lips. However, she dodged it, ducking under his arms and around him. "Let the games begin."

She giggled as he lunged for her. She ducked into the window, running around the not so awake boys. Jack followed suit, running into a couple of his friends. Mattie jumped over a young sleeping boy who had crashed on the floor. She laughed when she heard Jack trip over that same boy. He cussed loudly but got up.

When Jack ran into the washroom he looked around for her. However, his untimely fall had given her the chance to hide. Jack took in a deep breath as he began walking through the room. Several boys were in their cleaning up and getting ready for the day. There were plenty of boys, but no sign of the girl he was searching for.

After several minutes he gave up. He leaned against a counter and crossed his arms.

"Alright Mattie. I give. You win." Jack called out. A couple boys looked to Jack like he was crazy, but he didn't mind. The only opinion of him that mattered was Mattie's, and she was missing in action. Suddenly two small hands grasped Jack's ankles and with a swift pull he was down on the floor face first. He grunted when he impacted with the floor and rolled over quickly.

"Sucka'! Mattie laughed. Jack found himself laughing as well. She had hidden under the damn counter. Why didn't he think of that? He sat up on his elbows looking up at her. She hopped up onto the counter and smirked.

"I do believe that is Mattie one. Jack zero." She told him. Jack rolled his eyes pulling himself into a standing position. He walked toward her, finally stopping dangerously close. She tried not to let him see how much he affected her when he was that close. He placed his hands on her knees and leaned closer to her. He saw the flash of curiosity in her eyes. He smirked leaning down and placing a swift kiss to her lips. However, she surprised him by locking her arms around his neck and bringing him in for a longer one. He didn't complain though. Jack could spend all day kissing her if that was possible.

Mattie made Jack feel things that he has never felt anything for another human being. When he saw her his insides set fire. It scared him really. He had always cared about her, he would do anything for her. However, the more time they spent together the more he found himself relying on her presence. It was like if she was by his side, he was complete. And then when she was gone she was all he thought about. Jack had never been so dependent on one person before, and frankly it scared the life out of him.

"Excuse me." A voice spoke, breaking the couple apart. Mattie's face burned as she saw Mush watching the two in a not so pure position. "Mattie you're sitting on my towel."

"Oh." Mattie replied jumping from the counter and down to the floor. Mush rolled his eyes, but chuckled none the less. Mattie looked up at Jack who was smiling down at her. His hands were placed on her waist and she was trapped between him and the counter. He simply pressed a sweet kiss to her forehead, making all her worries go away.

"You two make me sick." Racetrack mumbled as he made his way into the wash room. Jack laughed out loud throwing a wet towel to his friends face. Race stumbled back, disoriented by the object. Mattie rolled her eyes escaping from Jack's hold and making her way to her bedroom.

She searched for her boots, a new pair she had sprung for a month ago. They were nice, much better than anything she had ever had. They were made of black leather, and she found herself walking carefully so she wouldn't scuff them. She finally found them under her bed and pulled them on. Now her hat would be harder to find.

Mattie wasn't usually forgetful or neglectful of anything. However, her cap that she wore was a different story. No matter where she put that thing it always ended up missing or misplaced. It had been a constant battle ever since getting the thing years ago. It wasn't much to look at. It was old a worn wool and the dark brown color had faded in spots. However, that hat was essential and she really did love it even though she cussed about it every time she lost it.

"Where is the stupid thing?" She asked herself as she searched under her mattress. She looked through her drawers and had no luck. She checked in the bunk room, still nothing. She went downstairs to ask Kloppman if he had seen it. Of course he had no idea where it was either.

"Maybe you should invest in a new one?" Kloppman suggested. Mattie huffed as she hopped up on his desk. She looked the man dead in his little eyes.

"I can't let the hat win Klopp." She told him to which he chuckled. He shuffled through his registry book, flipping the worn pages gingerly. Mattie remembered when she signed that book. Dimples she wrote in her chicken scratch hand writing. All the kids wrote their nicknames, just in case someone came looking for them. Most kids didn't want to be found. Mattie had no one to find her, but she still followed the leader and wrote her nickname.

"The hat isn't a person." Kloppman reminded Mattie. She gave him a look and rolled her eyes. She jumped from her seat on the desk and back to solid ground. She leaned on the wooden counter playing with an ink well on the surface.

"I ain't stupid Klopp." Mattie said twirling the ink well in her palm. "But apparently the thing grows legs and hides from me."

Kloppman laughed, shaking his head. Mattie grinned as she watched him work. Kloppman really did a lot for her. In fact if she needed someone to talk to about grown up things she always went to him. He was such a big influence on her life, and man did she love him. Not romantically, but like a daughter would love her father. Kloppman was the closest thing she had to a father.

"Carrying the Banner!" Someone yelled as the boys clamored down stairs. Mattie could barely hear herself think with the obnoxious footsteps and loud voices coming from the stair well. As the boys ran out the door they said their goodbyes to Kloppman and he waved them off. Jack came down and stood beside Mattie smiling down at her.

"I missed you." Jack said pulling her close to him. She giggled rolling her eyes.

"I was gone for five minutes." She reminded him. Jack leaned closer his lips barely touching hers. Mattie felt her face heat up.

"And it was torture." He said, putting emphasis on the word. She smiled against his lips, feeling his warm breath hitting her face. He smelled like tobacco and newspaper ink. She had always loved that smell. It was Jack.

"Well let me make up for lost time." She said closing the mere inches between them. Jack smiled into the kiss and enjoyed the feeling of her being so close to him. Images of Mattie's dream flashed into her brain at the closeness of the two. She pushed down her desire and just kissed him.

However, their moment was short lived because someone ran down the steps. A loud smack and a stinging to Mattie's rear end made her pull from Jack and look at whoever did it. Kid Blink ran out the door laughing, yelling "Carry the Banner!" Mattie growled as she pushed herself from Jack and ran after her the one eyed newsie. Jack let out a loud chuckle as he watched her run after him.

"Looks like you have your hands full." Kloppman told Jack. Jack looked over at the grinning man and sighed.

"Yeah. But that's the way I like it." Jack replied. Kloppman chuckled putting his pen down and taking off his glasses. He looked at Jack hard, as if trying to read his mind. Jack shifted uncomfortably from one heel to the other.

"So you thought more about getting that job?" Kloppman asked. Jack licked his lips nervously before looking Kloppman in the eyes.

"Well I told them I would give them a decision in a few weeks." Jack told him. Kloppman nodded sadly. Jack swallowed. The decision to get a better job had been brewing in his mind not long after the strike. He wanted more in his life and getting a grown up job would be the start of it. He was almost eighteen, and looked at as a kid. Jack wasn't a kid anymore. That's why being a newsie wasn't good for him anymore. He just wanted to be an adult.

So he talked around and they were opening a new factory not too far into town. It wasn't the most glamorous, but it was something. He wanted his own place. He wanted his own place with Mattie. Even though he knew she would probably object to it because she liked making things hard on him. But he knew he wanted to be with her, and they were getting no alone time in the boarding house. He wasn't expecting anything from her, because he knew she wasn't ready. However, he would like to be able to kiss her without interruption.

"Have you told her?" Kloppman asked. Jack looked at the older man and shook his head. Kloppman's mouth went into a hard line. "She won't be happy."

"I know." Jack said sorrowfully. However, Kloppman clapped him on the back and gave him a smile.

"Everything will work out. It always does." He told Jack. Jack nodded and smiled as well. He then turned and ran from the door in hopes of catching up to his friends. In the distance he could see Mattie tackling Blink to the ground and berating him for his actions.

Jack smiled to himself as he made his way towards them, in hopes of stopping Mattie from killing Blink.